392 Intelligence and Miscellaneous Articles, 



The various positions which the lines of their direction assume 

 across the sun's disk in the different months of the year, are caused 

 by the angle which the sun's equator makes with the plane of the 

 ecliptic, and the annual motion of the earth round the sun, which 

 alter the observer's place with respect to the position of the spots. 



It may be remarked that since Scheiner and Galileo first observed 

 the solar maculae in 1611 and 1612, there appears but little differ- 

 ence in the descriptive observations of succeeding observers in re- 

 gard to their colour, motions, mutations, and in the general appear- 

 ances of their formation, increase, separation, reunion, decrease 

 and final disappearance ; the differences in their opinions are chiefly 

 as to their situation, and the nature of their composition. Much 

 more may be said on this interesting subject, but we shall close our 

 remarks for the present. 



THE PLANET VENUS. 



This interesting planet was so bright on the meridian in the morn- 

 ing of the 16th Sept. when her natural appearance through a tele- 

 scope was nearly similar to the moon about two days after the be- 

 ginning of her last quarter, as to enable us to take the following ob- 

 servations: — Her apparent distance from the sun's nearest limb at 

 9 h 2 U 3 s a.m. apparent time, was 43° 55' 30"+ sun's semidiameter 

 15' 56" = 44° 11' 26", in time less than the sun's M 2 h 56' n 46 s . 

 Her true meridional altitude at 9 h 2 ,D 3 s a.m. was 53° 44' 30", 

 which subtracted from 90°, leaves for her zenith distance South, 

 36° 15' 30", and her reduced North declination 14° 31' 32" added 

 thereto, gives the latitude of this place 50° 47' 2" North, which is 

 only half a mile less than the true latitude. Similar observations 

 on Venus on the following morning were equally successful. 



This planet will have arrived at her greatest western elongation 

 on the 7th of October, and may be seen throughout the month in 

 clear weather with the naked eye in the day-time, but to greater 

 advantage through a telescope when on the meridian between nine 

 and ten in the morning, subtending an angle from the sun's centre 

 of from 43° 35' to 40° 26'. The angular distance of Venus from 

 the sun may, with a little practice, be taken with a sextant while 

 she moves in that part of her orbit next to the earth, and 38 de- 

 grees from the sun, till she arrives at her greatest western elonga- 

 tion ; also while passing from her greatest eastern elongation to 

 within 38 degrees of her inferior conjunction. 



AURORA BOREALIS. 



Gosport, Sept. 1828. 

 This meteoric phenomenon was observed here to great advantage 

 in the evening of Monday the 29th instant. At seven o'clock a 

 segment of mild light first appeared about the north magnetic pole, 

 and gradually increased in height till eight, when its altitude was 

 26 degrees, and extended from W. by N. to N.E. by N. The first 

 four columns of light shot up nearly perpendicular from its base in 

 the N.W. by W. point of the horizon at 20 minutes before eight, 



and 



